You're My Girl!
by Kanna37
Summary: Inuyasha's big mouth strikes again, leaving Kagome with the idea that maybe she'd be better off staying home, and letting him travel with Kikyou.  That idea doesn't sit well with the hanyou, however... rated for language.


**You're My Girl!**

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

~oOo~

"_It wasn't like I wanted to do it to ya! I mean, it wasn't my idea! You forced yourself on me!"_

Kagome sighed dejectedly as those words ran through her mind for the umpteenth time, causing a bit of moisture to well in her eyes. _Why'd he have to go and be such a jerk about it, anyway? _ she thought to herself, leaning her head into her hand and staring out her classroom window. The teachers words, and the shuffling and quiet sighs and movements of her classmates faded into the background as her mind wandered to the kiss she had given Inuyasha in Kaguya's castle.

_It's not like he didn't kiss me back. But then again, _her mood soured even further, _he was probably thinking of Kikyou. I know he's kissed her before, and I bet he didn't act like that afterwards with her. And after I took an arrow for him, even! Sheesh, what an ungrateful jerk, anyway. He couldn't even pretend that it was okay..._

Somehow, she made it through the rest of the day, and even managed to get away from Yuka, Eri, and Ayume – which was a feat in and of itself. Too bad she'd been so preoccupied, that she'd never manage to remember how she'd done it._ And wonder of wonders, I even managed to get away from Hojo before he could ask me out... again._

She walked slowly towards home, not really in a rush to reach a place that a certain hanyou acquaintance of hers was probably waiting to jump her the moment she arrived, demanding that she drop the rest of her life to go find his stupid shards for him.

_I don't see why he doesn't just ask miss perfect Kikyou to travel with him and find those stupid things, anyway, since she's sooo much better than me. I wish Miroku had kept his damn mouth shut. At least, if he hadn't said something, I wouldn't have had to hear Inuyasha's rejection._

Rejection.

A cold, scary word that she'd spent a long time running from, but now... well, she couldn't do that anymore. He didn't have any of those kind of feeling for her, and there was no room for her in his heart. At that thought, blunt as it was, all she wanted to do was sit down and cry – and avoid seeing the cause of her heartache again.

_Maybe... maybe it would be better if I told him that I wasn't going to come back. After all, if I don't, then he can just get Kikyou to travel with them – it's not like he really needs me, Kagome. He just needs anyone who can see the shards... and she can do that, too._

Her desire to avoid her home because of who would be waiting for her was so strong, that unconsciously, her feet turned her in another direction – a small park that lay a short way away from the shrine, and she wandered aimlessly around it for quite some time, not even noticing how late it was getting.

So it was not really very surprising that she was quite stunned at the loud thump from behind her – at least, until Inuyasha's voice grated up her back as he demanded to know what the hell she was doing wandering around this place like a little lost orphan instead of coming back through the well like she was supposed to.

She could never afterwards say what exactly it was that triggered her meltdown, but before she could even think, she'd spun on her heel and began shouting at the shocked hanyou what he could do with his need for those stupid, blasted shards of the sacred jewel that had ruined her once peaceful, happy life.

And her words weren't even marginally polite, either.

Inuyasha just stared at her in shocked disbelief as she unloaded all her woe on him, unable to even find his voice...

… until she told him to go back without her, because she wasn't ever coming back, and he could just go find Kikyou to find shards for him.

Instantly he was in her face, growling up a storm, his anger so sudden that it shocked _Kagome_ into silence. "You listen to me, wench," he snarled at her as he grabbed her by her arms and shook her a little, "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I'm not takin' that shit from you! You are _too_ coming back with me, and if this is the kinda crap that's gonna happen after you come here, then you ain't gonna be comin' back here again, got that? I'll just make you stay with me on my side of the well!"

A bitter laugh mocked him, and it was Inuyasha's turn to be silenced. "Why bother? You don't need me, you just need anyone who can see the shards – and Kikyou can do that just fine for you. So what's the big deal, huh? About the only thing you need me for that she _can't_ give you is ramen!"

Narrowed eyes pinned her as he shook her again. "What the hell's gotten into you, Kagome? You were fine the other day after we got away from Kaguya, so what happened to start this crap, huh? It had to be something here, since you were fine back there." Something occurred to him, then, and his eyes narrowed even further before haloing red. "Is it that Hobo guy? Is that it? You want to stay here with him? Well, I won't let you! You promised to stay with me, and I'm gonna make you do it!"

Kagome slumped, then, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked at him. "Why are you doing this, Inuyasha? I mean, you should be happy that I'm leaving – it means that you can be with Kikyou all the time and protect her like you wanted without a poor little _copy_ getting in the way. It seems to me that this is the best thing all around. I don't understand why you're fighting me on it. I thought you'd be happy to take me up on it," she murmured as she looked away.

Confused, Inuyasha let go of her and stared at her like he'd never seen her before. After a moment of staring at her, he shook his head. "Where's all this coming from, Kagome? I really don't get it," he said, truly clueless about why she was so upset – and bringing Kikyou up. He had no idea what the undead miko had to do with any of this.

"Ugh! You are so boneheaded, Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out, frustrated and full of heartbreak and about to fall apart right in front of the dense hanyou she'd given her heart to. Turning away from him, she wrapped her arms around herself, almost as if to physically hold herself together. "You couldn't have been any plainer the other day about your feelings on the matter – and I'm sorry that I had to 'force myself on you' to bring you back. Must have been the disgust you felt that I... kissed you," she whispered, "that brought you back to yourself, ne? But at least it worked..." she trailed off miserably.

Wide-eyed and blushing, Inuyasha spluttered, "Ka-Kagome, what's wrong with you? Why are you talking about that? That doesn't have anything to do with Kikyou!"

"Sure it doesn't, Inuyasha. Whatever," she sighed after a moment, "it doesn't even matter anymore. I still think it would be best if you searched for shards with Kikyou from now on. After all, she's more powerful than me, and a better fighter. You'd probably get done faster."

"S-so, what – now your promises don't mean anything? You'd break your word?" he shouted, suddenly beginning to panic at her insistence on staying behind. "You said you'd stay with me, and now you don't want to? _Why?_"

Stiffening, Kagome turned to face the hanyou once more. "The better question here is, if Kikyou's really better than me, and you want to be with her, why are you trying to make _me_ stay? I mean, if I wasn't around, you could be with her all the time, and that's what I'm saying you should do, since it's what you want. And yet... you're fighting me. You aren't making any sense."

"Hah! Shows how much you know, stupid! If I wanted to be with Kikyou, then I'd be with Kikyou," he sneered belligerently, too angry, frustrated, and flat out scared that he was about to lose Kagome to keep track of what he was saying.

"Then why did you act that way...?" she asked, hurt clear in her voice. "You know... after we beat Kaguya."

"Fuck! I was embarrassed, okay?" he yelled, his face turning red as he looked away. "That damn monk just wouldn't shut up – and you were acting stupid about it, too!" he pointed out with irritation.

"Maybe," she sighed, defending herself, "but I didn't deny what happened. I just didn't listen to Miroku talking about it."

"Keh," the hanyou said, his voice softening just a bit, though he still didn't look at her. "Come on, Kagome, you can't be that dumb. If I wanted to be with Kikyou so bad, then I would be," he mumbled, sounding disgruntled that he was having to point out something so obvious – at least to him. "It's not like I couldn't leave and go find her if I wanted to. Use your head. Why would I stay with you – not like you can _make_ me stay, ne?"

Kagome frowned at that – she'd never thought of it that way before. Why _did_ he stay with her?

"So... why do you?" she asked shyly. "Stay, I mean?"

He turned his head back to look at her, brows furrowed in annoyance. "Well, why do'ya think? Geeze, do I really gotta spell it out? What, you think I get mad at that stupid wolf when he calls you 'his woman' for no reason, or somethin'? 'Just friends' don't get jealous, Ka-go-me," he said, sarcasm heavy in his voice at her astonished expression. "I mean, do I act all jealous because Miroku gropes Sango? No. 'Cause she's just a_ friend_. But if he were to grope _you_-" a growl filled the air at the thought, "-I'd rip off that cursed hand of his, and then use it to suck _him_ up." By this time, Inuyasha's face was as red as his fire rat as he finally verbalized certain concepts he'd been avoiding for a long time. Of course, the actual _words _hadn't left his mouth, but even Kagome, as clueless as she was about him, couldn't miss what he was saying...

Could she?

_Keh... it's Kagome – 'course she could. Dense woman._

"Oh," she said in a small voice, not looking at him as she blushed a matching red. "So... you're jealous of other guys?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, his embarrassment disappearing as irritation at her airheaded tendencies when it came to him pushed it back. "No... I just get homicidal when other guys are around you for no reason at all. Think about it, Kagome – what would it matter if you were to agree to be Koga's 'woman' to the shard hunt? After all, the mangy wolf is lookin' for Naraku, too – he could just travel along with us if you were with him." He made a disgusted sound deep in his throat. "It'd be safer for the stupid sap to travel with a real warrior, anyway – he's practically as helpless as a newborn baby against any _real_ opponents."

Kagome stared at him for a few moments, obviously taking in his words, and the surprised expression on her face _really_ annoyed the hanyou.

"You really are that clueless, aren't you, wench? For god's sakes, it's not like you haven't had guys after you before! Look at that pansy Akitoki... and the bastard that looks like him here in your time. And then there's Koga, too!"

"Well," she said defensively after a moment, "they've said what they want! I mean, Akitoki told Hoshiyomi in front of all of us that he... had feelings for me. And Koga said it in front of his entire tribe and all those Birds of Paradise, too! You haven't ever said _anything_!"

"Feh... _words. _That's all those were. Okay, sure, I can give that jellyfish Akitoki this much – he did try to protect you. But Koga? Yeah, right. Most of the time, _he_ needs protection. So he said he loves you. Where's he at when you're in danger, huh? _I'm_ the one who's willing to die for you – I'm pretty sure Koga wouldn't go that far! I think I've proven myself just fine – words are pretty useless, it's actions that count, Kagome," the hanyou said as he stared her down, refusing to look away from her again.

Eyes filling with tears, Kagome said, "But what if I don't want you to die for me? And anyway, you promised to die with Kikyou..." she trailed off with a sniffle, and Inuyasha sighed, shaking his head at her.

He reached out and pulled her surprised form into his arms. "Kagome, when was the last time I talked about going to hell with Kikyou, hm? Months ago. Kikyou and I talked about it – she doesn't want me to die anymore. She knows that Naraku's the one that killed her, and she wants to drag _his_ happy ass to hell, instead. I ain't goin' nowhere – at least not without you."

Those words broke something open in the heart of the young woman, and she sobbed out months of worries and fears and supposedly unrequited feelings, held firmly in the hanyou's arms. For once, Inuyasha didn't fidget, call her weak, or avoid her – he simply held her and let her cry, somehow knowing she needed to let it all out.

After a while, she pulled away a little, looking up at him in the fitful light from the lanterns around the park, her eyes searching his to make sure he'd meant his words. When nothing but honesty - and a bit of residual irritation - met her eyes, she smiled a little and snuggled back into his arms.

After a few minutes of just holding her, Inuyasha cleared his throat. "So... are we good? You won't leave me and stay here?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

She shook her head, still laying against him. "I'll stay with you," she murmured.

"Not just until I gut that bastard Naraku? After that, too?" he asked slowly, obviously needing the confirmation.

"If you want me to," she replied.

She squeaked in surprise as Inuyasha suddenly swept her off her feet and started back towards the shrine, finally daring to look up at his face. She flushed a pretty pink as he looked down at her.

"You're my girl, Kagome and now you know it, too, so don't even try to deny it when that stupid fuckin' wolf comes along and I pound him into the ground for trying to make moves on you, got that?"

A rather shrewd expression settled on Kagome's face, and Inuyasha narrowed his eyes on her, suddenly nervous. _What's that expression mean? _he wondered.

"So... then how should I act when Kikyou comes around, and you go haring off to be with her?" she asked.

He stopped moving, staring down at her with astonishment on his face. "Oi, after all of what I just said, you're _still_ goin' on about Kikyou?"

She shrugged. "Well, she's still out there, and you're still going to get stupid whenever she comes around, so, yeah... I'm still goin' on about Kikyou."

Shifting her slightly, the hanyou lifted one hand and smacked his forehead with it, his eyes closing in frustration.

"Argh! You're the most aggravating woman I know, Kagome!" he growled.

A glare beginning to take over her face, Kagome pushed down from his other arm and landed on her feet before smacking her hand against his chest.

"And you're still a two-timer! Don't think I didn't hear you ask Miroku that time why you couldn't have me and Kikyou both!" she gritted out, and just like that, the two were back on familiar territory...

Fighting.

But at least this time, they were actually fighting about their relationship – because they finally had one to fight about.

Sure, they loved each other, but they were still Inuyasha and Kagome – and those two just couldn't exist without fighting.


End file.
